Diana Cuestas Torres, Ph.D.
Dr. Cuestas Torres obtained her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of the Andes in Colombia. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Jose Abisambra.
Stephen Gironda, Ph.D.
Dr. Gironda obtained his PhD from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His mentor at UF is Dr. Habibeh Khoshubouei.
John Aaron Howell, Ph.D.
Dr. Howell obtained his PhD from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. His mentor at UF is Dr. Eduardo Candelario-Jalil.
Dr. Howell is interested in studying neuroinflammation following ischemic stroke.
Elizabeth Illescas-Huerta, Ph.D.
Dr. Illescas-Huerta obtained her PhD from National Autonomous University of Mexico, Cell Physiology Institute. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Nancy Padilla-Coreano.
Dr. Illescas-Huerta is interested in the neural circuits of the medial prefrontal cortex and their subcortical targets involved in social decision-making and prosocial behavior.
Zak Krumm, Ph.D.
Dr. Krumm obtained his PhD from the University of Florida. His mentors at UF are Drs. Jennifer Bizon and Barry Setlow.
Dr. Krumm is interested in the neuroendocrine mechanisms of healthy behaviors and how these behaviors are dysregulated in chronic disease.
Rupsha Mondal, Ph.D.
Dr. Mondal obtained her PhD from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, India. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Paramita Chakrabarty.
Dr. Mondal is interested in exploring the interplay between mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease.
Jordan Seibold, Ph.D.
Dr. Seibold obtained her PhD from the University of Cincinnati. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Habibeh Khoshbouei.
Jose Vigil, Ph.D.
Dr. Vigil obtained his PhD from the University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus. His mentor at UF is Dr. Nancy Padilla-Coreano.
Dr. Vigil is interested in learning about social decision making in mice and the role of the amydala in pro-social or anti-social decision making.
Caoyuanhui (Jennifer) Wang, Ph.D.
Dr. Wang obtained her PhD from Texas Tech University. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Karina Alvina.
PostDoc Fellow Bio
Alumni
Postdoctoral Fellow, mayo clinic
Parul Bali, Ph.D.
Dr.Bali obtained her Ph.D. from the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research. Her primary mentor while at UF was Paramita Chakrabarty.
Dr. Bali’s research interest includes understanding the factors affecting amyloid and tau etiopathologies in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease.
Kelly DeMars, Ph.D.
Dr. DeMars obtained her Ph.D. from University of Florida. Her primary mentor while here at UF was Jeremy McIntyre, Ph.D.
Dr. DeMars is interested in how the brain coordinates its metabolism with different peripheral states.
Neuroscience Postdoctoral Researcher, the National Institute of Aging
Nicholas DiCola, Ph.D.
Dr. DiCola obtained his Ph.D. from University of Florida. His primary mentors while here at UF was Sara Burke, Ph.D. and Andrew Mauer, Ph.D.
Dr. Dicola is interested in the function changes to the hippocampus of aged rats.
Mojdeh Faraji, Ph.D.
Dr. Faraji obtained her Ph.D. from Georgia Tech University. Her primary mentors are Jen Bizon, Ph.D. & Barry Setlow, Ph.D.
Dr. Faraji studies the long-term effects of reproductive experience on decision making in rodent models.
Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Strategic Fund
Oihane Uriarte Huarte, Ph.D.
Dr. Uriarte Huarte obtained her Ph.D. from University of Luxembourg. Her primary mentor while here at UF was Malú Tansey, Ph.D.
Dr. Uriarte Huarte is interested in how the immune system influences neurodegenerative diseases, focusing mainly on Parkinson’s disease.
Assistant professor, rosAlind franklin medical school
Sarah Johnson, Ph.D.
Dr. Johnson completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the primary mentorship on Dr. Sara Burke from 2015-2020. During her time at UF, Dr. Johnson successfully competed for a K99/R00 focused on determining the role of declining novelty signals in memory dysfunction associated with aging.
Educational Program Specialist, Ohio State University
Carly N. Logan, Ph.D.
Dr. Logan obtained her Ph.D. from University of Florida. Her primary mentor is Sara Burke, Ph.D.
Dr. Logan studies the dysregulation of glucose and neurotransmitter signaling it relates to disorders and disease.
assistant professor, university of South Carolina medical school
Joe McQuail, Ph.D.
Dr. McQuail received his Ph.D. from Wake Forest University. He then completed his postdoctoral training at UF with Dr. Jen Bizon , funded by an F32 postdoctoral fellowship. After being promoted to an assistant research professor at UF (2019-2020), he received a K01 to investigate the role of stress associated epigenetic mechanisms in age-related memory decline.
Assistant Professor, Indiana University
Kelly Menees, Ph.D.
Dr. Menees received her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia under the mentorship of Dr. Jae-Kyung ‘Jamise’ Lee.
Dr. Menees studies the role of the immune system and the gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s disease.
Assistant Professor, Indiana University
Andrea Merchak, Ph.D.
Dr. Merchak obtained her PhD from the University of Virginia under the mentorship of Dr. Alban Gaultier.
Dr. Merchak studies the interplay between the gut microbiome, the immune system and the brain in neurodegenerative disease.
Assistant professor, UNiversity of texas austin
Caitlin Orsini, Ph.D.
Dr. Orsini received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the primary mentorship of Drs. Barry Setlow and Jen Bizon from 2013-2020. During her time at UF, she successfully competed for a K99/R00 focused on using ontogenetic approaches to determine how circuits associated with the basolateral amygdala impact risk taking and contribute to substance use disorders.
Research Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Sakthivel Ravi, Ph.D.
Dr. Ravi obtained his Ph.D. from Alagappa University, India. His primary mentor while here at UF was Dr. Jose F. Abisambra.
Dr. Ravi’s research focuses on the molecular association between mild repetitive traumatic brain injury, tau and ER stress.
Postdoctoral Associate, Uf College of Dentistry
Airam Vivanco, DDS, MSc
Dr. Vivanco completed her postdoctoral fellowship under the primary mentorship of Dr. Robert Caudle.
Dr. Vivanco graduated from the School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP – USP) in January 2021.
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9617-9249
Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Indiana University
Rebecca Wallings, Ph.D.
Dr. Wallings obtained her Ph.D. from Oxford University. Her primary mentor while here at UF was Malú Tansey, Ph.D.
Dr. Wallings studies the role of the lysosome in dysregulation of the immune system in neurodegenerative diseases and identifying lysome-specific therapeutic targets.
